Test Range Is Expected To Be Rejected Nesquehoning Officials Wary Of Ballistics Noise

December 16, 1987|by WALTER KRAUS, The Morning Call

Nesquehoning Borough Council apparently will reject a proposal at tomorrow's meeting by a high-technology ballistics research company to construct a test range in the Hell's Kitchen area of the borough on Bethlehem Mines property.

In a consensus reached at last night's workshop session, the chief objection seemed to be noise. Councilman Frank Jacobs said he was contacted by about a dozen residents who opposed the proposal made at the Nov. 17 council session by Dyna East Corp., Philadelphia. The company proposed to build a test area in a back-filled and graded former strip-mining area. The area was strip- mined by the Winton Coal Co.

Felipe Munoz, chief engineer of the Panther Valley Division of Bethlehem Mines, told council last month the tract would be leased to the company with the acceptance of council.

Munoz said the company "would consider the possibility of a lease with them as long as it meets the community environmental requirements."

Blue Ridge Cable Television Inc., Palmerton, advised council rates for some of its services will decrease while others will increase. The company does not need approval from franchising authorities for rate adjustments.

Donald G. Reinhard, company president, said in a letter that basic cable rates will go up 85 cents because satellite charges have increased 32 percent and insurance 35 percent. Other increases have been in wages and pole attachment costs.

Albert U. Koch, chairman of the Carbon County commissioners, said in a letter that more than half of the municipalities in the county have indicated they would prefer the county to continue to work on the garbage handling problem.

Koch said the commissioners are asking each municipality to make a 25-cent per capita contribution to provide part of the local share of a Department of Environmental Resources grant. He said the county will contribute an equal share, adding "DER's program will double the money available to undertake this effort."

Koch said if all of the municipalities participate in the per capita contribution, according to the 1980 census data, "We should be able to obtain an additional $27,000 from DER. This grant would provide $54,000 to continue efforts to solve the garbage crisis."

He said half of the contribution could be made in 1988 and the balance in 1989.